Limited Web Access Isn’t Cuban Policy
The May 1 article “In Castro’s Cuba, Internet Hookups Are Few and Far Between” by Scott Doggett suggests that the poor Internet access in Cuba is mostly due to communism and state control of access.
Apparently un-researched by the author is the fact that of the six new regional seabed fiber-optic telecommunications cables being installed or planned for installation from 1999 to 2001, all avoid landings in Cuba.
Most contain a short “stub” for eventual access and landing rights, however, U.S. law precludes any of these transoceanic and regional systems from touching Cuban soil as an extension of the U.S. boycott.
Since high-speed Internet access is completely dependent on the bandwidth available on these cables throughout the world, it is safe to conclude that decent Internet access in Cuba is more a fallout of U.S. policy than local restrictions.
--EDWARD SAADE
Poway, Calif.
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